Subsidy Declaration Forms.

Manawatu Herald, 26 July 1892, Page 2

Subsidy Declaration Forms.

Happy government to possess an Audit Office which only insists upon its rights and privileges when a " Liberal " government comes into power. For some fifteen years have local bodies been receiving subsidies from the government of the day. To obtain these subsidies the Chairman of the body has had to make a declaration, as to the amouut of rates received and other matters. Until this has been done the Treasury refused to pay over the amount due. All this was in order and necessary, but the present " Liberal " govern - merit with its kind feelings towards

country settlers has lately discovered that to iHake siidh declarations without putting a duty stamp" of tWd shillings and sixpence on each form, is illegal, but the Premier says it is not his fault, it is the Audit Office ! As the proceeding brings money into the Treasury, the Treasurer is not concerned Sb'diit tlie maifeiv btit we make bold to say that if he ld§{? as much as he is gaining, he would have been more anxious to know why the Audit Office has only been awakened to the error it has for the last fifteen years passed -Without a wink of the one eye, or the other. Some government supporter will say that as Municipalities receive subsidies as well as Counties, that it is incorrect to suggest that the Premier has a " down " on the countryman. We have only to observe the actions of the present government, note their sayings, and investigate the difference in the voting in towns and country districts, to see that where their support is, so is their policy, which ib to favour the town labourer at the expence of the Colony. But to go back to this straw, the sfcamp-duty on the declarations for subsidies. Each public body has only to make one declaration, whatever th« amount of the subsidy, so that the city cf Wellington pays two shillings and sixpence, to obtain as much as all the local bodies within the Horrowhenua and Manawatu Counties, so that the tax, small as it is' falls as ten to one on the small country ratepayers, to what it does on the town ratepayer. It is an absurd sum, but it shows the indifference of the government to the country settlers, as otherwise, the fact having been made clear to the Premier that this is quite a new tax, say, imposed by the Audit Office, he might, now Parliament is in Session, easily have undertaken to have it abolished. The custom <*f fifteen years can be more easily broken through when it is revenue making, than it could be were it to lessen the inflow of cash to the Treasury.